Suitable livestock?

4 posts

Member for

10 years 7 months
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 05/21/2014 - 13:56

Suitable livestock?

In the process of buying 2 acres in East Gippsland. Have never had land before so have a ton of questions. We will have a paddock approx 1 acre with a dam in it and some garden/shrubs around the dam. The dam has no crest so overflows and makes the very front of the paddock wet when very rainy. Am thinking of getting some muscovies for a few eggs and meat, and a couple of sheep to keep the grass down. Any problems with muscovies and sheep together? Will they destroy the garden? Is the dam/wet ground going to be an issue for the sheep? What would be the best sheep to get? What would be your recommendation?

Thanks in advance :)
 

Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/22/2012 - 11:13

Bettsy,

No matter what type of livestock you get make sure its fenced off from the garden or they will wreck it.

You will have to set up a pen for the ducks or they will quickly become fox food. Also, I would restrict their access to the dam as duck poo in a dam sort of puts off the other stock. They don't like drinking duck poo. Better to pump any water needed out of the dam into a trough/pond so the ducks can have a swim but not wreck the dam for your sheep whick you should keep away from teh dam as well.

Speaking of sheep, if they are mainly lawnmowers then get a haired/shedding breed so you don't have to get them shorn and to lessen the chance of flystrike. I would fence off the wet bit so you can keep them out in wet times so they don't pug it up and get footrot but can be let in in dry times when it will be a good source of green feed. Cut your "farmlet" up into a few paddocks/fields and use your pump to spread water to each field so you can rotate your sheep and keep your pasture and control any worm problems.

A word of caution - NEVER name your sheep.

I'm sure I have missed lots but that would be the basics.

Cheers

Rob.

Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi Bettsy,

Just a little comment on Robbs observation about naming livestock that you might want to eat one day. A lot of hobby famers I know named their stock: George, Fluffy, Annie etc. These animals, a steer, 2 sheep and several goats are now enjoying a long and happy life on their owners properties as once they had named them, they just didn't have the heart to kill them.

One family I know, had a sheep called Fluff Ball killed by the mobile butcher and had to give the meat away to friends, because their children were absolutely devistated when they found the Sunday roast was the sheep they had raised from a lamb. they didn't speak to their parents for a week!  

Cheers,

Barb

Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 09/15/2014 - 20:14

I would suggest to look around and see what sort of sheep others have, ducks whilst they don't scratch like a chook, can destroy a garden quick smart and I would suggest keeping them out of the garden unless supervised, on the flip side they are guns at cleaning up snails and other pests. 

I really wanted to comment on naming animals.

The rule at our place is if we are going to eat it don't name it - dogs - Monty and Arli, alpaccas - Snowden and Cadbury, dorper ram - Rambo, lambs no names.

Our 15 year old son when he was a youngster would not eat the day old chicken he had raised, however he has no problem commenting on how good a lambs hind legs will look when served up as a roast.

Good luck

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